Archive for February 23rd, 2012

For many folks it’s just another Wednesday. For many folks it’s just another little.

For some the/Wednesday is a mystery. For others this is a life-changing moment.

In the early days of Methodist movement, John and Charles Wesley met with friends to practice discipline of spiritual growth.

The custom was to me very early in the morning. They would read Scripture. They would pray. They would share their lives and spiritual journeys giving a sounding board and a voice of accountability to each other.

At other points in the day they would feed the hungry and clothe those who did not have proper close to where, counsel only did, speak words of hope to those who were oppressed by their employers.

For most of us being these things each day to the top, too religious, or just not realistic given all that we have to do.

Richard Foster’s author and theologian writes of her idea books about living discipline life, living a simple life living intentionally. One of the core practices we are trying to establish at our church is this intentional living intentional study, intentional prayer, intentional spiritual growth.

However we might individually celebrate the season of land we collectively come together to call for accountability to support and encourage one another and choosing to be a spiritual people who are growing in spirit.

Go back and look up the reference for shoes the state and you shall serve…

There come moments whether by the circumstances of what we find in life or by the encouragement of faithful and even unfaithful that we are called to take a stand.

Our observance–Wednesday is one of those liturgical moments that we choose to set aside for ourselves and for each other a moment to begin April or beginning again starting the spiritual drain or renewing the spiritual journey. One of the thanks and Meiji to do is to look at the roadmap and see where your heart and choose where you’re going. So often we just live trying to catch up in life rather than having a destination even if it’s not the right destination or to destination the changes along the way. Our task is to stop now and say to ask in prayer God were you want me to be where you want my life to go and to breath and days and years and decades that are remaining in my life where we go?

More than this the time of deciding what will give up what little take on: this is a time of repentance and confession acknowledging I’m not where I need to be not there yet.

If I’m on the right path I look around and see that they’re still further together. And if I’m not on the right path, I can turn around and head home had to God head back to the heart.

The wearing of sackcloth and the display of ashes are not the common interests of everyday. They were scratchy clothes that made you aware that things were not in the norm. Something has changed

I received a beautiful sweater for Christmas. Delightful blue sick and warm. And very scratchy!

I find myself not wanting to wear this beautiful warm sweater because it’s uncomfortable get on a very cold day the warmth is worth the scratch. Part of what pretenses about is acknowledging what it is that’s worth letting go. What is worth leaving behind. What is worth no longer working for because it is not productive it’s not bringing why not bring enjoyed not bringing peace not bringing forgiveness.

A Holy Lent affirms that the sack clothe, the itchy and uncomfortable should not keep us from doing the good and receiving the benefit of the struggle.

More than all the litanies and traditions–Wednesday is the day of beginning. Beginning a journey that may be difficult or may not be done willfully.

But to just pass it buys another tradition, another day, another ritual. These would be actually a avoidance beginning to unwrap a new gift. Beginning of building a new home. Beginning of building a new relationship, I need faith, or a new love.

So as you come forward to receiving actions that have been placed upon your head by stamps were you as a sign that you are the marketing and making us assign the land a line in the sand ashes on the fore head a declaration that your edit new beginning spot that we repent and change turn outlines around word go.

Accept the mark as your line in the sign to begin the faith journey anew.